The Effects of Father Absence on Society and Development

One in four American children grow up without a present and involved father. Many detrimental effects have been linked to this absence, including behavioral issues, psychological stress, and trouble in the classroom. This paper investigates the social relevance of fatherhood by looking at how a father\u27s involvement or lack affects both individual growth and more general dynamics of society. Parenting studies historically have mostly addressed mothers\u27 roles. This project aims to investigate how father absence influences a child\u27s growth in the United States. While Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner) studies the social and natural surroundings, Attachment Theory (Bowlby & Ainsworth) and Social Learning Theory (Bandura) clarify the results about emotions and behavior. Different methods are being used to handle the research. This entails looking at national data on infancy, toddler, child and teenage development, as well as studies in sociology and psychology vetted by experts since 2020. This initiative looks at several important areas including mental health, academic performance, dangerous/risky behavior, and personal relationships. The data concentrates on human stories to give statistical results in depth and show the validity of lived experience as sociological data. Early results show that lower behavior development, academic, and mental health outcomes are rather correlated with father absence. Children growing up in fatherless homes are more likely to have emotional control problems, anxiety, hopelessness, poor performance in school, and be involved in criminal activity. On the other hand, the studies show that those growing up with an involved and present father or father figure showed amazing social conduct, defined goals, and more emotional stability. This study is significant since it examines a systematic issue not always discussed in public discourse about inequality and development. Though single motherhood receives a lot of attention, the position the father plays in policies and programs supporting families, children, and society is sometimes underlined or omitted. This study\u27s findings indicate that early intervention, fatherhood education, co-parenting support, and mentoring programs could help to reduce the social and financial expenses over time by addressing father absence. These findings support an increasing movement in public policy and sociology whereby father engagement is seen as a protection element enabling children to do better in life and strengthens families and communities

Heading for the Hills: An Evaluation of the Conditions Impacting Teacher Attrition and Retention in Post-Pandemic California Title I Schools

The low rates of preservice and early in-service teacher retention in California’s Title I schools have been a longstanding concern and contributing factor in the state’s teacher shortage. However, the impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) pandemic exacerbating teacher attrition creates a concern for how frameworks of new teacher support should be re-examined in post-pandemic classrooms. This study aimed to understand what factors are most important to preservice and early in-service teachers working in Title I schools when deciding to retain or resign from their positions. Additionally, this study examined whether reported factors associated with teacher attrition and retention differ from historically relevant factors, and the degree to which teacher demographic information or independent factors moderate attrition and retention. Findings from this study showed the only factor significantly associated with preservice and early in-service teacher attrition was the degree to which positions aligned with teachers’ personal ideologies and beliefs on effective instruction. No other factors or demographic information moderated the relationship between ideology and attrition/retention. Teachers who reported ideological alignment were 78.3% less likely to leave, while those with low alignment were 4.6 times more likely to resign. While several combinations of factors correlated with attrition/retention, only ideology and beliefs significantly predicted outcomes. Results suggest that this novel factor outweighs historically relevant predictors as well. Given the non- experimental design, further research is needed to explore how these findings can inform improved support frameworks for new teachers in Title I schools

The Criminalization of Black and Latino Communities

This research examines how the black & Latino low income families are greatly affected by social barriers that interfere with their education, employment, and housing, as well as biased policing and racial profiling. The main focus of this research is on racism and socio-economic disadvantages. For example, higher rates of arrests, convictions, mass incarcerations, social disparities, and over-policing in low-income neighborhoods. According to Rios, Burkhardt, and Molina (2017), the criminal justice system often frames crime in ways that justify inequality and punishment instead of focusing on fairness and justice. We specifically discussed how the criminal justice system impacts the Black and Latino community. Our research will look at the past, the problems today, and how we can make things better for the future. From a sociological perspective, we learn that power is not shared equally in society. According to conflict theory, the people in power create rules that help them stay in control (OpenStax, 2016). In the criminal justice system, this can be seen in how Black and Latino people are treated unfairly. They are more likely to be stopped by police, arrested, and punished more harshly than others. This shows how power is used to keep certain groups down instead of helping everyone equally. There have been some changes, like Proposition 36, which helped reduce long prison sentences for people who committed nonviolent drug crimes, but problems like racial profiling (judging someone by the color of their skin) and biased policing are still happening. This matters because no one should be imprisoned just because of their race. To make things better, we need new rules that stop unfair treatment and make sure everyone is treated fairly in the legal system. If we don’t fix this, many communities will keep getting stuck in a cycle of poverty, being treated unfairly, and being watched too closely by the police, but if we make real changes, like fair laws, less punishment and more help, and more support for communities. We can build a justice system that works for everyone

Upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes by the accumulation of unfolded proteins

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a complex cellular reaction to a buildup of excess unfolded and/or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. One branch of the UPR is the PERK-pathway, which occurs when the chaperone BiP associates with unfolded proteins which leads to the activation of PERK. PERK then phosphorylates eIF2ɑ, leading to inhibition of global protein synthesis. The focus of our project last year were the genes GADD34 and CReP. BiP, GADD34, and CReP gene expression were measured using in-situ hybridization in unstressed embryos and embryos treated with thapsigargin to induce ER stress. The difference in the expression of BiP during unstressed and stressed conditions was used as a positive control for our experiment. First, the embryos were collected, and then 24 hpf embryos were put through either no treatment or thapsigargin treatment for either 4 or 24 hours, fixed with paraformaldehyde, and analyzed by in-situ hybridization. A large increase in expression of BiP, our positive control, was observed throughout the embryos upon stress induction. GADD34 expression also increased following stress, primarily in the head of the embryos. CReP showed increased gene expression mainly in the tails of embryos treated for 4 hours and in the heads of embryos treated for 24 hours. In addition, GADD34 and CReP may have protective effects against apoptosis, as is seen when cell death is reduced when GADD34 is knocked out. As such, we now plan to study the effects on the main apoptotic signals during ER stress, which are p63, PUMA, and CHOP. The in-situ hybridizations for the activity of these genes, probes must be designed, which was the main goal of our project this year. Designing the probes involved a series of genetics lab techniques, including primer design, polymerase chain reaction, DNA cloning, bacterial transformation, midi-prepping, and restriction digestion

Pacific Libraries Generative AI Series – Risk Impacts or Harm Considerations (Session 2)

Navigate the World of Generative AI: A Student-Focused Workshop Series This three-part video series, developed by University of the Pacific Library & Learning Center, offers students a comprehensive introduction to generative AI technology. From understanding the basics to exploring practical applications and ethical considerations, these workshops provide the essential knowledge needed to use AI tools responsibly in your academic journey at Pacific. Workshop Series Includes: What is Generative AI? - Demystify the technology behind AI tools like ChatGPT Risk Impacts or Harm Considerations - Explore the ethical implications and potential pitfalls of AI use Tools and Discussion of Use - Discover practical applications and best practices for academic work Each concise session is designed to build your AI literacy and confidence while ensuring responsible engagement with these emerging technologies

Pacific Libraries Generative AI Series – What is Generative AI? (Session 1)

Navigate the World of Generative AI: A Student-Focused Workshop Series This three-part video series, developed by University of the Pacific Library & Learning Center, offers students a comprehensive introduction to generative AI technology. From understanding the basics to exploring practical applications and ethical considerations, these workshops provide the essential knowledge needed to use AI tools responsibly in your academic journey at Pacific. Workshop Series Includes: What is Generative AI? - Demystify the technology behind AI tools like ChatGPT Risk Impacts or Harm Considerations - Explore the ethical implications and potential pitfalls of AI use Tools and Discussion of Use - Discover practical applications and best practices for academic work Each concise session is designed to build your AI literacy and confidence while ensuring responsible engagement with these emerging technologies

Synthesis and Binding of Flavone-Based Ammonium Salts to Triplex DNA

Triplex DNA is formed when a third strand, the triplex-forming oligonucleotide (TFO), sequence specifically binds to a duplex. TFOs can be used for anti-gene therapy by targeting a certain sequence of duplex DNA and subsequently inhibiting the downstream transcription and translation of a specified protein. However, triplex formation is limited in both thermodynamic and kinetic aspects because of the charge repulsion of a third negatively charged strand.Recently, it was found that a flavonoid, quercetin, and its derivatives were able to stabilize triplex DNA without having an effect on duplex DNA. In this project, four flavone-based ammonium salt derivatives containing a positive charge were synthesized. The positively charged derivatives could counteract the negatively charged backbone repulsion and contribute to stabilizing the triplex. Additionally, these compounds have the added benefit of being more water soluble than their non-charged counterparts. These derivatives were evaluated with UV thermal denaturation studies to determine their effects on an intramolecular triplex DNA (15GCT). After observing triplex stabilization via UV thermal denaturation, the thermodynamics of DNA-ligand binding were further quantified using an isothermal titration calorimeter (ITC). The ITC is an instrument that measures the heat change within a sample cell as a ligand is titrated in. If binding occurs, there is a recorded heat change relative to a reference cell, and a variety of thermodynamic values, such as the binding constant (Kd), can be calculated. The results from UV thermal denaturation and ITC are compared to evaluate the binding and stabilization of these ammonium salt compounds on triplex DNA

Investigating the Role of Male Calling in Túngara Frog Courtship within Close-Range Interactions

Amphibians exhibit diverse reproductive strategies, and acoustic signaling in anuran mating systems is traditionally seen as a mechanism for mate attraction. However, recent observations suggest that male calling may also act as a neuroendocrine trigger to precondition females for oviposition. This study examines whether male túngara frog calls serve only to attract a mate into clasping range or if they also facilitate reproductive synchronization. To address this, we conducted experiments placing male-female pairs in small, isolated breeding enclosures under two conditions: (1) a control group with no additional auditory stimuli and (2) an experimental group exposed to continuous playback of male advertisement calls. Time-lapse photography and behavioral scoring were used to document courtship interactions. Ongoing research will test whether males adjust their calling in response to playback when a female is at close range, providing insight into the potential dual role of advertisement calls in the túngara frog’s courtship

Physiology and Food: How Does Diet Influence Tolerance to Oxidative Stress and Heat?

Diet may hold the key to animals’ ability to tolerate increasingly prevalent stressors, such as heat and oxidative stress (OS). Certain macronutrients—particularly, dietary proteins—are critical for producing antioxidative enzymes and heat shock proteins, which help mitigate physiological stress. In addition, exposure to one stressor can improve (or impair) an animal’s tolerance to a different stressor, meaning that OS may provide cross-protection (or cross-susceptibility) to heat stress. Thus, fitness-related traits and the stress response may be determined by diet and stress history. In this study, we examined how three isocaloric diets (balanced carbohydrate and protein vs. high-carbohydrate vs. high-protein) influenced tolerance to paraquat (PQ)-induced oxidative stress and heat stress, as well as the effect of PQ on heat tolerance. In the first week of adulthood, we injected long-winged female variable field crickets (Gryllus lineaticeps) three times with control (saline) or PQ solutions. We then measured (1) consumption of calories, carbohydrates, and protein, (2) investment into self-maintenance (amount of somatic mass gained), (3) reproductive investment (amount of ovary mass gained), (4) flight capacity (functional status of flight muscle), and (5) heat tolerance (duration to knock-down at 45°C). We hypothesized that individuals fed a high-protein diet would be less affected by OS and have higher heat tolerance. We further hypothesized that PQ-exposed individuals would exhibit greater heat tolerance due to their chronic upregulation of antioxidant defenses. This investigation clarifies the fundamental role of nutrition in mediating organisms’ physiological resilience to their changing environments